New Zealand - North, The Bay of Islands

Travelling north of Auckland takes you to Northland and the historical home of the Maori culture. There are Maori mission houses - church meeting places, all over New Zealand and every village or settlement has a Maori name within its title somewhere. Although there are not many 'pure' Maori left, the culture is very much part of everyday life with some lessons in all primary schools conducted in the Maori language and religous customs and culture given the same importance than any christian or other dinominational celebrations. And New Zealand is a very patriotic country with the All Blacks being revered every hour on the radio and the Queens birthday celebrations playing a big part in New Zealanders lives with an honorary bank holiday,knock down prices in the shops and street parties. Look to your laurels UK...
Northland is probably the most sub-tropical part of New Zealand plenty of temperate rainforest to see and again we were lucky with the weather - even though technically its winter. We based ourselves in Pahia on the eastern side of the peninsula and had excellent opportunity to take day trips to all parts over the 5 days of our stay. Till I pranged the car that is - no, there were no maltesers involved this time!
Before this minor setback the most memorable places and events in Northland involved
a) being dressed up as giant condoms for the 'Excitor' trip around the beautiful Bay of Islands - I was excited!
b)meeting a couple of wild boars skins hangin' out on a fence of the spooky, dark, unmade 53kms long short-cut we were supposedly driving along to get 'home' in pouring rain; with duelling banjos whispering in our ears we turned around and took the long road
c)the beautiful '90 Miles Beach' which turned out to be 90 kilometres and in desperate need of a cafe at the end!
d)a visit to the Waipapa chocolate factory - mmm, now this could be a serious alternative career - macademia nuts in milk choc slabs, its paradise regained!
While on the daily road trips you can't help but notice the Kiwi penchant for stating the obvious, unusual brandnames, statements or community clubs and peculiar mixtures of foodstuffs on one plate. A road sign invites us to drive down the 'Big Flat Road' or up the 'Right Turn Road' where we pass Frog Whistle Mine to arrive at Whanaroa, 'Small Town, Big Spirit' to shop in the store with 'Knock Down Prices for the Queen - its her Birthday Sale!' We stop for lunch for some exotic 'royally roasted lamb drizzled with banana, avocado oiled vegetables nestling in brandy and sultana gravy' while listening to the Complaint Choir on the radio, complaining about the level of the NZ equivalent to council tax through six part harmony of Handel's Messiah! Phew - I need a holiday!